The storage of pierced earrings in an organized manner is problematic because of the need for ready inspection and accessibilty to both the earrings and accompanying friction retainers. The most popular known approaches to storage are jewelry boxes and storage racks. In jewelry boxes the earrings usually are placed loosely in segmented trays, or occasionally are mounted on perforated panels in the jewelry box. Storage racks are based on the principle of the perforated panels in jewelry boxes; except that the storage racks are generally free-standing. Most known storage racks are constructed from a molded acrylic, Plexiglas.TM., or other such sheet polymeric material. The racks are constructed such that the sheets or panels are perforated and are mounted in a position allowing the earring posts or wires to be inserted through the perforations and held therein by placing the friction retainers on the post or wire.
Problems with such storage racks include the need to position the racks for accessibility to front and back; difficulty in positioning earrings thereon as desired because the perforations ar fixed; and the fact that such racks must generally be in an open area for accessibility, therefore leaving the earrings open and exposed.
Other types of racks include expanded foam panels into which the earrings are inserted. However, each time an earring is inserted into the panel, the resulting puncture is permanent. Therefore the panels have a relatively short period of usefulness. Additionally, such foams are usually very porous and will not hold and support heavy earrings in a secure fashion.
The present invention is directed to a means for storing pierced earrings of any style or type; and can also be adapted for use as a bulletin board or a board on which a variety of articles can be mounted. In the preferred embodiment the earring storage/display means is broadly comprised of a planar sheet or panel of foamed elastomeric material having inherent self-sealing characteristics. As such, earrings having a post or wire mount can be inserted into the panel and the elastomeric material will close around the post or wire, holding it therein. When the earring is removed the resulting puncture is automatically closed by the inherent elasticity of the foam.
The present earring storage device proves quite effective in overcoming the above-discussed problems with previous methods of storage in that the earrings may be stored in any desired arrangement on the panel because there are no fixed perforations; the panel can be positioned in virtually any desired location because there is no need to access the back; and smaller models of panels can be included in jewelry boxes or cases if desired.
As a further improvement of the storage panel, an antimicrobial product can be added to the elastomeric material at the time of molding or extruding for the purpose of disinfecting the earring posts or wires while in the panel. The antimicrobial ingredient is best generally described as bacteriostatic, having the ability to inhibit growth of common bacterial forms; or having the ability to destroy the bacteria immediately on contact or on contact lasting a reasonable time.
For other types of storage and display purposes the elastomeric panels are useful as bulletin boards, display boards, etc. The panels can be framed or otherwise supported for use as a conventional bulletin/display board, receiving any piercing means of mounting or attaching papers or other articles thereon. When the tack, staple or other such attachment means is removed, the panel's self-healing character closes the puncture. Thus, unlike cork, wood, foam, or other such conventional material, the present invention substantially improves the life expectancy of such bulletin or display boards.
The primary objectives of providing a display or storage panel having self-healing surface characteristics are achieved by the present invention; as is the objective of a highly improved means for storing pierced earrings. Other and further advantages and objectives will become apparent as the following detailed description is studied in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.